Defence
SIXTEEN people were reportedly kidnapped in an attack on Anguwan Pa Community, in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Monday.
According to a resident of the community, the bandits stormed the area at about 7.30 pm and surrounded the village.
“Fifty-three people were kidnapped but 37 of them escaped and returned home, yesterday, leaving 16 others in captivity,” he said.
He said that “the bandits are now attacking small villages with less population. We didn’t expect that the bandits will attack Angwan Pa because, after the attack on Anguwan Aku on Sunday, soldiers were deployed to condone the area.”
“The bandits came around 7:30 pm yesterday and surrounded the village. They usually come in very large numbers and well armed. They will just sneak into a community, and before you know it, they had surrounded everywhere.
“If you run, they will shoot you and kill you. They don’t usually enter big communities that are densely populated. They target small and remote villages that are sparsely populated. They dare to enter big villages because they are also afraid for their lives. Many rural communities in Kajuru are living in perpetual fear,” he said.
The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached for comment.
The incident occurred barely 24 hours after the Christmas Day attack on Angwan Aku in the same Kajuru LGA, where one person was killed and 45 others were kidnapped.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged man, Ifeanyi Okoye, who was abducted two days before Christmas has been found dead in Awka.
The victim, said to be an indigene of Awgbu in Orumba North local government area, was abducted at Okpuno area of the Anambra State capital and whisked away by his abductors, only for his dead body to be found on Christmas day.
The state police command has confirmed the incident, although the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Tochukwu Ikenga, argued that it might not be a case of kidnap.
“It is a pure case of murder and it is still under investigation. We urge the witnesses where the dead body was found to volunteer information that will support the ongoing investigation.
“Preliminary information shows that the incident could be cult-related as there were marks of axe cuts on the deceased body,” he said.
The PPRO said the body has been recovered and deposited in the mortuary.
Vanguardngr.
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Tags: DSP Mohammed Jalige. Ifeanyi Okoye Mr Tochukwu Ikenga
